Rural Crime Task Force lead teams on Odiham warrant as part of vehicle theft investigation

The Country Watch Rural Crime Task Force led police teams on a warrant in the Odiham area this week.

With support from specialist officers such as drone operators, search officers, firearms officers and the dog unit, teams carried out enquiries and searches at a site off Farnham Road as part of an investigation into vehicle thefts in the county.

This follows recent reports in June of a Land Rover and a trailer being stolen in Hayling Island.

It is believed that a group have been stealing vehicles and bringing them back to the site in Odiham, with officers visiting the premises as part of the warrant early morning on Tuesday 5 August.

A number of items were seized including a suspected stolen digger, three trailers, a quad bike and a number of tools.

The same site was subject to a warrant in 2021, during which police seized 29 stolen vehicles including caravans, vans, cars and quad bikes.

Following this week’s warrant, officers arrested four men on suspicion of theft – two of which were arrested over the border by our colleagues in the Thames Valley Rural Crime Task Force.

They are as follows:

The four men have been bailed with conditions while officers continue this investigation.

Sergeant Michael Cork, from the Country Watch Rural Crime Task Force, said: “The proceeds from this type of offending will feed back into organised crime.

“We want to make this a hostile place for rural criminals, and we will continue to carry out proactive warrants and operations to target the people, vehicles and locations we suspect are linked to the offending, and seize stolen property.

“If you have any information, no matter how small, about crime or suspicious activity in your area, please report it to us.”

You can make a report to police by calling 101, or via the online reporting tool at www.hampshire.police.uk

Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their anonymous online form at crimestoppers-uk.org

Dial 999 if a crime is in progress, or in the event of an emergency.

If you are a member of DISC you can also use this platform to provide information to the police. If you have a business connection to the rural and wildlife environment, you may be eligible to be a member of DISC. Please email discreports@hampshire.police.uk